Chapter 6 - The Truth Hidden In The Recording
The bedroom door opened.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone in the room recognized the person standing there.
Victor Hale.
Agostino's closest friend.
His most trusted adviser.
The man who had stood beside him through every battle.
The man who had helped him build everything.
For twelve years, Agostino believed Victor was the one person who would never betray him.
Now Victor stood in front of him with the same calm expression he always wore.
Like nothing had changed.
Like the world had not just collapsed.
Agostino slowly lowered his weapon.
Not because he trusted him.
Because he needed to understand.
"Victor."
The name came out quietly.
Almost like a question.
Victor looked around the room.
His eyes passed over Elias.
Then Brielle.
Then finally stopped on Agostino.
"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this."
Elias immediately stepped forward.
"You knew."
Victor didn't look surprised.
"I knew you were alive."
Brielle felt her heart sink.
"You knew?"
Victor looked at her.
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you tell him?"
A pause.
Victor looked at Agostino.
"Because he wasn't ready."
Agostino laughed.
A cold, empty sound.
"Not ready?"
He stepped forward.
"You let me believe my brother was dead."
Victor stayed calm.
"You let yourself believe it."
The room became silent.
Because that sentence hurt more than an accusation.
It sounded like truth.
Agostino stared at him.
"You have five seconds to explain."
Victor looked at the screen.
The frozen video of his own voice remained visible.
Then he looked back.
"Play the recording."
Agostino didn't move.
"Why?"
"Because after that, you will understand why Elias disappeared."
Elias looked at Victor.
"You are still lying."
Victor shook his head.
"No."
A pause.
"For once, I'm telling the truth."
Agostino pressed play.
The video continued.
The old hospital room appeared again.
Young Brielle sat on the bed.
Young Elias stood beside her.
The camera moved slightly.
Then Victor's voice returned.
"If Agostino is watching this, it means everything failed."
Agostino stared.
His own name coming from a twelve-year-old recording felt impossible.
Victor continued.
"I know what you're going to think."
The younger Elias on the screen looked toward the camera.
"You will think I betrayed you."
Agostino's expression changed.
Because the voice was not speaking to strangers.
It was speaking directly to him.
"But I didn't."
The recording showed Elias holding a small envelope.
"The person who betrayed you was closer than you imagined."
Brielle looked at Victor.
Then at Elias.
The same words.
The same warning.
Everything connected.
The recording continued.
"I had to disappear because if I stayed, they would kill Brielle."
Agostino looked at her.
Brielle froze.
Her name.
In the recording.
Twelve years ago.
Elias continued.
"She is the only person who saw what happened."
The video stopped.
Everyone remained silent.
Then Agostino turned toward Brielle.
"You saw something."
She looked down.
"I was a child."
"But you saw."
Brielle swallowed.
The memories returned.
A hallway.
A gunshot.
A man falling.
A voice telling her to run.
"I saw your father."
Agostino went still.
"My father?"
She nodded.
"He was with someone."
"Who?"
Brielle looked toward Victor.
Victor's face changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
Brielle noticed.
And so did Agostino.
"Victor."
Agostino's voice became dangerous.
"Was my father with you?"
Victor didn't answer.
That was the answer.
Agostino moved closer.
"You were there."
Victor finally spoke.
"Yes."
The room exploded with silence.
Agostino stared.
"My father trusted you."
"I know."
"You were his friend."
"I know."
"And you let him die."
Victor looked down.
For the first time, the confidence disappeared.
"I tried to stop it."
Agostino's eyes hardened.
"Tried?"
The word carried years of pain.
"You tried?"
Victor looked back at him.
"Your father discovered something."
"What?"
"A secret organization that controlled everything around him."
Brielle listened carefully.
"What organization?"
Victor hesitated.
Then:
"The people who created the Costello empire."
Agostino frowned.
"My father created this empire."
"No."
Victor shook his head.
"He inherited it."
Nobody spoke.
Victor continued.
"Your father wanted to destroy it."
"And you?"
Victor looked away.
"I was supposed to help him."
A pause.
"But I was too late."
Agostino's hands tightened.
"Why hide Elias?"
"Because Elias knew too much."
"And Brielle?"
Victor looked at her.
"Because she knew enough."
Brielle stepped back.
"You protected me?"
Victor nodded.
"Yes."
"By making me forget?"
"I didn't make you forget."
His voice softened.
"Your mind protected you."
She looked away.
Because she hated that he was right.
Some memories were too painful to carry.
Hours passed.
The mansion changed.
No longer a place of power.
It became a place full of ghosts.
Agostino sat on the edge of the bed.
Brielle stood near the window.
Elias and Victor remained across from each other.
Two men connected by a past nobody wanted to remember.
Agostino looked at his brother.
"I spent twelve years thinking you abandoned me."
Elias lowered his eyes.
"I know."
"I hated you."
"I know."
"I built everything because I thought I had nothing left."
Elias looked at him.
"You built everything because you were angry."
Agostino didn't deny it.
For the first time, Brielle saw the man behind the reputation.
Not the mafia boss.
Not the feared name.
Just someone who lost his family.
Then Darwin entered.
His face was serious.
"Mr. Costello."
Everyone looked at him.
"What?"
Darwin held a small device.
"We found something in the security room."
Victor immediately reacted.
"What?"
Darwin noticed.
And that was enough.
"What is it?"
Darwin looked at Agostino.
"A hidden drive."
Victor became pale.
Agostino noticed.
"Why does that matter?"
Darwin answered:
"Because it was labeled with today's date."
Brielle frowned.
"Today's date?"
Darwin nodded.
"It was placed there recently."
Agostino stood.
"By who?"
Nobody answered.
Darwin looked at Victor.
Then at Elias.
Finally:
"By someone who had access to this mansion before tonight."
Agostino took the drive.
There was one file.
No password.
No protection.
Just a name.
BRIELLE EDWARDS.
Her face changed.
"No."
Agostino looked at her.
"You know what this is?"
She shook her head.
But deep down...
She knew.
Darwin opened the file.
A video appeared.
A woman sat in front of the camera.
Older.
Tired.
But familiar.
Brielle stopped breathing.
Because she knew that face.
She had spent twelve years believing that woman was gone.
The woman looked directly into the camera.
Then whispered:
"If Brielle is watching this..."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"...it means Agostino finally knows the truth."
The video continued.
The woman leaned closer.
"And it means they know where she is."
Brielle stepped backward.
"Who?"
The woman looked terrified.
Then she said the name.
A name that made Elias turn pale.
A name that made Victor close his eyes.
A name that made Agostino understand the danger had never ended.
Then the mansion lights suddenly went out.
The screen went black.
May you like
And in the darkness, someone whispered from behind Brielle:
"Found you."
